LOLITA C. BALDOR

FILE - This artist depiction shows Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, right, appearing in U.S. District Court in Boston, April 14, 2023. The Massachusetts Air National Guard member who pleaded guilty to federal crimes for leaking highly classified military documents appeared at a hearing Tuesday, May 14, 2024, on whether he should face a military trial on additional charges. (Margaret Small via AP, File)

Air National Guard unit that was suspended after classified documents leak will restart mission

The Air National Guard intelligence unit involved in the massive classified documents leak by an airman last year has been recertified and will start doing its mission again after months of investigations, improvements and inspections.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issues a statement after British and US forces struck Houthi targets in Yemen, at 10 Downing Street, London, Friday May 31, 2024. The U.S. and Britain struck 13 Houthi targets in several locations in Yemen on Thursday in response to a recent surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden over the Israel-Hamas war. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)

Houthi rebels say at least 16 killed and 42 others wounded in joint US-British airstrikes in Yemen

Joint British-U.S. airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels killed at least 16 people and wounded 42 others. That’s according to comments from the rebels Friday.

In this undated photo provided by the Etat Major des Armees on Thursday, May 30, 2024, a view of the Laax, a Greek-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier that came under attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels earlier this week, carrying cargo of grain bound for Iran, the group's main benefactor, authorities said Thursday. (Etat Major des Armees via AP)

US and Britain strike Houthi rebel targets in Yemen after surge in shipping attacks

American officials say the U.S. and Britain have struck 13 Houthi targets in several locations in Yemen in response to a recent surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

These images released by Maxar Technologies show the newly completed pier in the Gaza Strip on May 18, 2024, top, and the remaining section of the temporary pier on May 29, 2024. A string of security, logistical and weather problems have battered the plan to deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza through a U.S. military-built pier. Broken apart by strong winds and heavy seas just over a week after it became operational, the project faces criticism that it hasn’t lived up to its initial billing or its $320 million price tag. (Satellite images ©2024 Maxar Technologies via AP)

The US-built pier in Gaza broke apart. Here’s how we got here and what might be next

A string of security, logistical and weather problems has battered the plan to deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza through a U.S. military-built pier.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, left, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. take part in a press briefing at the Pentagon on Monday, May 20, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Pentagon vows to keep weapons moving to Ukraine as Kyiv faces a renewed assault by Russia

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is committing to keep U.S. weapons moving to Ukraine as Kyiv faces one of its toughest moments against a renewed assault by Russia.

Trucks loaded with humanitarian aid from the United Arab Emirates and the United States Agency for International Development cross the Trident Pier before entering the beach in Gaza, May 17, 2024. (Staff Sgt. Malcolm Cohens-Ashley/U.S. Army Central via AP)

Trucks are rolling across a new US pier into Gaza. But challenges remain to getting enough aid in

Trucks carrying badly needed aid for the Gaza Strip have rolled across a newly built U.S. pier and into the besieged enclave for the first time.

FILE - The Pentagon is seen from Air Force One as it flies over Washington, March 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Sexual assaults are down in the US military. Here’s what to know about the numbers

Pentagon officials are cautiously optimistic that an overall decline in reported sexual assaults among active-duty service members and the military academies suggests that leaders are finally getting a handle on what has been a persistent problem.

The image provided by U.S, Central Command, shows U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), U.S. Navy sailors assigned to Amphibious Construction Battalion 1, and Israel Defense Forces placing the Trident Pier on the coast of Gaza Strip on Thursday, May 16, 2024. The temporary pier is part of the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore capability. The U.S. military finished installing the floating pier on Thursday, with officials poised to begin ferrying badly needed humanitarian aid into the enclave besieged over seven months of intense fighting in the Israel-Hamas war. (U.S. Central Command via AP)

Aid for Gaza will soon flow from pier project just finished by US military, Pentagon says

The Pentagon says that humanitarian aid will soon begin flowing onto the Gaza shore through the new pier that was anchored to the beach overnight and will reach those in need almost immediately.

FILE - The Pentagon is seen from Air Force One as it flies over Washington, March 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Reported sex assaults in the US military have dropped. That reverses what had been a growing problem

U.S. officials say the number of reported sexual assaults across the military decreased last year. A confidential survey also found a 19% drop in the number of service members who said they had experienced some type of unwanted sexual contact.

FILE - The new Fort Liberty sign is displayed outside the base on Friday, June 2, 2023 in Fort Liberty, N.C. U.S. special operations commanders are having to do more with less and they're learning from the war in Ukraine, That means juggling how to add more high-tech experts to their teams while still cutting their overall forces by about 5,000 troops over the next five years. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker, File)

US special operations leaders are having to do more with less and learning from the war in Ukraine

U.S. special operations commanders are having to do more with less and they’re learning from the war in Ukraine, That means juggling how to add more high-tech experts to their teams while still cutting their overall forces by about 5,000 troops over the next five years.

FILE - A police officer examines fragments of a guided bomb after the Russian air raid in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Russia pounded a town in Ukraine’s northeast with artillery, rockets and guided aerial bombs Friday May 10, 2024 before attempting an infantry breach of local defenses, authorities said, in a tactical switch that Kyiv officials have been expecting for weeks as the war stretches into its third year. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko, File)

US announces a new $400 million package of weapons for Ukraine to try to hold off Russian advances

The U.S. has announced a new $400 million package of military aid for Ukraine. It includes a wide array of missiles for air defense systems and other munitions along with armored vehicles, boats and other weapons.

FILE - Supporters of Niger's ruling junta gather for a protest called to fight for the country's freedom and push back against foreign interference, in Niamey, Niger, Aug. 3, 2023. Russia has moved some troops onto an airbase in Niger where a small number of U.S. forces remain after most American troops left the base in Niamey, the nation's capital, a U.S. official said Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick, File)

Russian trainers move to a Niger airbase where some US troops remain

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says he doesn’t see a significant issue with Russia moving some troops onto an airbase in Niger where a small number of U.S. forces remain.

FILE - Mohammed Hassan Masto sits next to the grave of his brother Lutfi on May 7, 2023, in the village of Qorqanya, a rural area in northern Idlib province, Syria. Central Command said Thursday, May 2, 2024, an airstrike in Syria that was targeting an al-Qaida leader misidentified the intended target and killed Lutfi Hassan Masto instead. The investigation confirms early reports from residents and family members shortly after the attack. (AP Photo/Omar Albam, File)

US airstrike targeting al-Qaida leader in Syria killed a farmer, American military says

The U.S. military said an airstrike in Syria in May 2023 that was targeting an al-Qaida leader killed an innocent civilian instead. The investigation by U.S.

This image from video released by the U.S. Army, shows a frame from a haunting new video, released on May 2, 2024, in the latest effort by the Army to lure soldiers to some of its more secretive units. Hints of its origin are tucked into the frames as they flash by touting the power of words, ideas and "invisible hands." Army Special Operations Command hopes that those drawn to the video may be interested in joining as one of its psychological warfare soldiers. (U.S. Army via AP)

Faceless people, invisible hands: New Army video aims to lure recruits for psychological operations

A haunting new video released in the early morning hours is the latest effort by the Army to lure soldiers to some of its more secretive units.

FILE - This artist depiction shows Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, right, appearing in U.S. District Court in Boston, April 14, 2023. Teixeira, who pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for leaking highly classified military documents about the war in Ukraine and other national security secrets, will face a military justice proceeding in May 2024. (Margaret Small via AP, File)

Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira to face military justice proceeding

Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira, who pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for leaking highly classified military documents about the war in Ukraine and other national security secrets, will face a military justice proceeding later this month.

In this image provided by the U.S. Army, soldiers assigned to the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) and sailors attached to the MV Roy P. Benavidez assemble the Roll-On, Roll-Off Distribution Facility (RRDF), or floating pier, off the shore of Gaza in the Mediterranean Sea on April 26, 2024. The pier is part of the Army's Joint Logistics Over The Shore (JLOTS) system which provides critical bridging and water access capabilities. (U.S. Army via AP)

The US is building a pier off Gaza to bring in humanitarian aid. Here’s how it would work

The U.S. and allies are scrambling to pull together a complex system that will move tons of humanitarian aid into Gaza by sea. Nearly two months after President Joe Biden gave the order, U.S.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks during a press briefing on Friday, April 26, 2024 at the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

US announces new Patriot missiles for Ukraine as part of new $6 billion aid package

The Pentagon has announced that the U.S. will provide Ukraine additional Patriot missiles for its air defense systems as part of a massive $6 billion additional aid package.

This satellite picture taken by Planet Labs PBC show the construction of a new aid port near Gaza City, Gaza Strip, on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. A new port is being built in the Gaza Strip ahead of a U.S. military-led operation to surge needed food and other aid into the besieged enclave as Israel's war on Hamas there grinds on, according to satellite images analyzed by Thursday, April 25, 2024, by The Associated Press. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

A US-led effort to bring aid to Gaza by sea is moving forward. But big concerns remain

The construction of a new port in Gaza and a U.S military-built pier offshore are underway, but the complex plan to bring more desperately needed food to Palestinian civilians is still mired in fears over security and how the aid will be delivered.

In this image provided by the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Sgt. Ian Ketterling, gunner for Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Field Artillery Brigade, prepares the crane for loading the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) on to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) in Queensland, Australia, July 26, 2023. U.S. officials say Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles, called ATACMS, striking a Russian military airfield in Crimea and Russian troops in another occupied area overnight. (Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Dickson/U.S. Army via AP)

Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by US to hit Russian-held areas, officials say

U.S. officials say Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles, striking a Russian military airfield in Crimea and Russian troops in another occupied area overnight.

Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder speaks during a press briefing on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Pentagon set to send $1 billion in new military aid to Ukraine once Biden signs bill

U.S. officials say the Pentagon is poised to send $1 billion in new military aid to Ukraine now that the Senate has approved long-awaited legislation to fund the weapons Kyiv needs to stall gains made by Russia.

A cargo ship, one of three ships loaded with canned food destined to Gaza, anchored after returning to the Cypriot port of Larnaca, Cyprus, Thursday, April 4, 2024. Cyprus, which has played a key role in setting up the maritime corridor, said the ships that had arrived Monday were returning to the Mediterranean island nation with some 240 tons of undelivered aid, after seven aid workers were killed. (AP Photo/Lefteris Piterakis)

US says a UN agency has agreed to help in distribution of aid to Gaza via sea route

The U.N. World Food Program has agreed to help deliver aid for the starving civilians of Gaza once the U.S. military completes a pier for transporting the humanitarian assistance by sea. That’s according to the U.S.

FILE -A steel worker moves a 155 mm M795 artillery projectile during the manufacturing process at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pa., Thursday, April 13, 2023. The Pentagon could get weapons moving to Ukraine within days if Congress passes a long-delayed aid bill. That's because it has a network of storage sites in the U.S. and Europe that already hold the ammunition and air defense components that Kyiv desperately needs. The House approved $61 billion in funding for the war-torn country Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

After Congress finally does pass new funding, this is how the US can rush weapons to Ukraine

The Pentagon can get weapons moving to Ukraine quickly once Congress passes a long-delayed aid bill. That’s because it has a network of storage sites in the U.S. and Europe.

Sec of Defense Lloyd Austin during a House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Defense budget hearing Fiscal Year 2025 on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, April 17, 2024 in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Pentagon leaders press Congress for Ukraine funding, saying battlefield situation is dire

Pentagon leaders are telling Congress that Ukraine and Israel both desperately need the military weapons that are being held up by Congress’ failure to pass a funding package.

FILE - Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testifies before Senate Committee on Armed Services during a hearing on Department of Defense Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2025 and the Future Years Defense Program on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 9, 2024. Austin has spoken with China’s national defense minister in the latest in a series of U.S. steps to improve communications with the Chinese military and reduce unsafe and aggressive incidents in the Indo-Pacific. It is the first time Austin has talked to Adm. Dong Jun. And it's the first time he has spoken at length with any Chinese counterpart since November 2022. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

US Pentagon chief speaks with Chinese counterpart for first time since November 2022

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has spoken with China’s national defense minister in the latest in a series of U.S. steps to improve communications with the Chinese military and reduce unsafe and aggressive incidents in the Indo-Pacific.

FILE - Airman 1st Class D'elbrah Assamoi, from Cote D'Ivoire, signs her U.S. certificate of citizenship after the Basic Military Training Coin Ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, in San Antonio, April 26, 2023. The Army and Air Force say they are on track to meet their recruiting goals in 2024, reversing previous shortfalls using a swath of new programs and policy changes. But the Navy, while improving, expects once again to fall short. (Vanessa R. Adame/U.S. Air Force via AP, File)

New recruiting programs put Army, Air Force on track to meet enlistment goals. Navy will fall short

The Army and Air Force say they are on track to meet their recruiting goals this year, reversing previous shortfalls using a swath of new programs and policy changes. But the Navy, while improving, expects once again to fall short.

The bombing area at Abbey Gate is pictured August 26, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan, before the blast. A review released Monday, April 15, 2024, says the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport that killed U.S. troops and Afghans in August 2021 was not preventable, and the “bald man in black” spotted by U.S. service members the morning of the attack was not the bomber. (U.S. Central Command via AP)

Review says Abbey Gate bombing wasn’t preventable, refutes claims troops sighted the would-be bomber

A new review says the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport that killed U.S. troops and Afghans in August 2021 was not preventable, and the “bald man in black” spotted by U.S. service members the morning of the attack was not the bomber.

FILE - A U.S. Army Caisson team carries the remains of Army Pfc. Tramaine J. Billingsley during burial services at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Nov. 2, 2010. The return of horse-drawn caissons at Arlington National Cemetery is being delayed for at least months or a year, the Army said Friday, April 12, 2024, as officials struggle to improve the care of the horses, after two died in 2022 as a result of poor feed and abysmal living conditions. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File)

The return of horse-drawn caissons to Arlington National Cemetery is delayed for at least months

The Army says it will not restart the use of horse-drawn caissons at Arlington National Cemetery for months and maybe longer as it struggles to improve the care of the horses. Two died in 2022 as a result of poor feed and living conditions.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testifies before Senate Committee on Armed Services during a hearing on Department of Defense Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2025 and the Future Years Defense Program on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Austin tells Congress Israel is taking steps to boost aid to Gaza as lawmakers question US support

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is telling senators that pressure on Israel to improve humanitarian aid to Gaza appears to be working, but more must be done, and it remains to be seen if that improvement will continue.

FILE - The American and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 2, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. For the first time in nearly two years, U.S. and Chinese defense officials met this week to discuss unsafe and aggressive ship and aircraft incidents between the two militaries in the Pacific region, restarting a dialogue that Beijing abruptly ended in a dispute involving Taiwan. The meeting, which was Tuesday through Thursday in Hawaii, comes as Washington and Beijing work to expand communications between the two world powers and ease escalating tensions. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)

US-Chinese military talks resume on safety in the air and at sea after a nearly 2-year break

U.S. and Chinese defense officials have met for the first time in nearly two years to discuss unsafe and aggressive ship and aircraft incidents between their militaries in the Pacific region.

In this photo released by the official Syrian state news agency SANA, emergency service workers clear the rubble at a destroyed building struck by Israeli jets in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April 1, 2024. An Israeli airstrike has destroyed the consular section of Iran's embassy in Syria, killing a senior Iranian military adviser and roughly a handful of other people, Syrian state media said Monday. (SANA via AP)

US braces for retaliation after attack on Iran consulate — even as it says it wasn’t involved

A top U.S. commander in the Middle East is acknowledging concern about retaliatory attacks on American forces there. That’s after airstrikes widely attributed to U.S. ally Israel killed commanders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps Monday in Syria.